'A new one page script (the first page) based on your idea discussed in class.I have already watched Black Swan several times, including twice int he cinema when it came out. I loved the story and the aesthetics so much that I kept going back to see it again and again. The first time you see it, the plot is full of twists and turns, and is very confusing to understand. It all makes sense in the end, but it leaves it lingering in your mind for days afterwards. Seeing it again is a chance to view the story as it unfolds while this time knowing all of the important elements in advance. The course tutors made the screenplay available on Study Direct, so it was fascinating to read through it in detail. I think that the screenplay won best original at the Academy Awards the year it was released, if I believe correctly?
A paragraph with your beginning middle and end of that idea as well as defining who your protagonist is, a clear idea what they want and an idea of the obstacles they will face in that story. In Friday's class we'll be looking at developing these ideas further and the characters you have. So don't worry if your protagonist needs fleshing out as this is something we'll cover. I'd like you to do the readings for this week and watch Black Swan. We'll be discussing them in class so be sure to do them. '
I'm doing the readings already and will post them as separate entries on this blog.
Protagonist: MARA - young orphan girl with no family or friends, who works in the service of a rich family living in Ross Head, Northern Ireland. She is quiet and steely, and does not interact with the household or its staff more than necessary. Because of her quietness, she seems often pensive, and spends most of her time gazing out the windows towards the sea outside. She seems to be avoided by the others, who think her strange. Neither she nor the house knows of her origins, and she feels like she has an unanswered part of her yet to be discovered. Obstacles are the others who surround her, her oppression and feeling of not belonging. Desires are to escape the house and to discover her true calling.
Beginning:See the house in which Mara lives and works, begin to see her detachment from her peers and employers and she goes about her tasks.
Middle: Follows further into her tedious and depressing routine, see how oppressed she feels within her current life. catch glimpses of indications about what she longs for or what makes her different - gazing to the sea, her skin glowing shiny and silver in the water when she washes. tension rises as she is taunted and bullied by the fellow girls.
End: Event that acts as the catalyst to the climax - perhaps she is beaten by another girl or a member of the house, or someone attempts to take advantage of her. She runs away from the house to the small cliff over the turbulent sea- seemingly committing suicide. After a long, ambiguous pause we see her transform into a seal - she is a 'selkie.' She swims away to finish the film.
I write one page of script to start off the film, but was not able to upload it directly onto the blog because it is in PDF format. i took a screencapture which managed to catch most of the first page, there is only roughly a line of action missing from the end.
